Everything's Just Wonderful
by Shikyou Daemon
Summary: Succession never took place. L never died... Kira's Kingdom rose and fell in a matter of years, the aftermath is what L and his three now adult successors must deal with. Life is worth holding onto, even if it's just a few more seconds.


a/n; Okay! I must admit, this is something I've fancied doing for a while. This roleplay is honestly the best I've ever done, and I love it to death. x3 No pun on the series, of course.

Yes. Notice I said roleplay. This is a roleplay between myself and Tiffany. It's very fun, and as you read on through the chapters, you'll understand just why it's so easy to fall in love with. I play Mat and Near, only one of which appears in this chapter, and she plays Mello and L. 8D

Now... I suppose I'll explain the plot, but first... I do not own Death Note. If I did, it would probably be alot like this.

Previous;; That was it. Kira had been caught and officially labled as Higuchi. A now dead man who'd probably commited suicide with that dreaded notebook, deciding it was easier to die then to face a life, or another death delt out by justice. The simple fact that justice had overcome evil had been pleasing, a sweet thought which soon turned sour as Watari died. The heartbreaking event, the realization that they just couldn't win...

As stubborn as L was, he knew that he couldn't face this supernatural force. The Real Kira had regained his powers, and he was now killing criminals left, right, and center to prove he was displeased with the stunt that had been pulled in his name. He'd left. Left and put Light Yagami in charge of the situation, trusting the younger man a bit too much.

Far too much, really.

No longer then a year later did Kira reveal himself. Light's triumphant smirk. Misa clinging to his arm, and a third Kira standing behind those two, looking like a proud angel of death rather then a defendant of justice. Years passed, the world went crime free. People either lived happily, blindly worshipping the three, or they lived in constent fear that their dislike of the god would be noticed.

Radical forces rose up. Kira was punished. Sacrifices had to be made for justice, and those sacrifices came in the form of the majority of the world's population. The 'ideal warrior' against Kira had turned against it's masters... And now, not even a month after the first anti-Kira monster had been formed, four people have stumbled on a small safe haven from the beasts outside.

These are none other then L and his three successors. Only able to look out at the world that once was and pray that they survived long enough to see the monsters die off.

* * *

The morning he woke up to the television blaring about a world-wide emergency stood out as one of the most terrible he had ever experienced. Then came the next morning. Then the next. Not to forget the one after that. Day after day of terror, uncertainty, and an overall feeling that his life was no longer in his own hands.

Not that Mello had felt he was in control of his life for a long while, so long that he could no longer remember what it was like to live freely. Those days, distant as they were, stood as a mere memory of the time before Kira took his death grip of the world. Security was tightened to an almost unbearable point after that. No longer allowed to go out and around town. Only an hour a day, at most, of time they were allowed out. Any outside contact was almost strictly forbidden. They were the enermy. As one of the few standing against earth's newly elected god, there was no choice but to do anything possible to remain out of harms way.

Also known as keeping themselves alive.

Not a doubt existed that he was alive, all right. Breathing, thinking, moving with the grace of a living human being. Nevermind that he was lying flat on a rock-hard mattress, set on top of a bed that squeaked if he even thought of moving. One hand was raised in the air, an extended index finger tracing the natural patterns of the wooden planks that made up the ceiling. Sleeping was out of the question. Getting up was lined up on the same train of thought. Too exhausted to sleep. Too exhausted to get up.

Just the day before they had found the place; A small, two bedroom cottage, built more for a weekend vacation or a retired couple that felt the need to live a permanent vacation. Although in slight disrepair, the empty building was a god send. For Mello, at least. Out in the middle of nowhere? Check. Door he could lock? Check. Beds? Double check. Stumbling inside and onto one of those beds had been an experience straight out of heaven; Pushing aside how uncomfortable it was. Lying on something other than the cold, hard ground was an amazing thing in itself.

The previous weeks had been Hell.

There had been a report one day in the news, a passing thing one would barely pay attention to. Something about an escaped group of animals, accidently released because of careless employees at some sort of illegally run lab. He had barely paid attention to it, much like he usually ignored the many thoughtless stories those days. As the days past and the reports grew and grew, coming to a crescendo one early morning (which soon ended in the tv going dead and that oh-so-lovely monotonous tone taking over for a frantic news caster), no one could ignore it. The world had sunk to a new low. This time the end of humanity was at hand, cast down a dark hole by its own doing. No going back. No second chance. If anyone lived through something like that... No. Even he thought it was quite impossible - the human race was pretty much fucked.

Soon enough, the life he had known came crumbling down around him. Soon enough, he was stuck with his best friend, the one he looked up to the most, and the one he hated more than anyone, fighting for the chance to stay alive.

Two weeks and four days later, he was lying as he was atop the world's most uncomfortable mattress, mapping out his mind's insanity on the ceiling

**There was not a doubt in Mat's mind. They were going to die. They were going to die in a brutal, horrible way, or here, starving to death or suffocating because the water had run out. They were going to die by the hands of children they had played with, now monsters without a soul. Death would be terrible and it would never end there because there was always a chance that they'd end up like them.**

**Maybe that was why the ashtray in front of him was now filled with enough cigarette buts to spell out his name. Both, both the false name which he was considering dropping off, and the real one that a mother he could hardly remember had given him. She was probably like them, too. If not a rotting corpse in a coffin. Neither of which would surprise him. Neither bothered him, he'd already accepted the fact that they were doomed a long time ago. **

**It was Kira. Kira, Kira, Kira. Kira was the reason for it all, and L was the reason that this had been delayed long enough for the boys to at least make it into adulthood without the thoughts of death, the knowledge that you were going to die and there wasn't a damn thing you could do about it. An irreversible moment in which your sanity took leave and you just wanted to tear out through the weak protection that you had, a door that was locked but couldn't possibly protect against starvation or insanity, right into the heart of them and scream for them to just end it.**

**But he wouldn't. No, his anchor to sanity was close by.**

**"Fuck," a soft curse, that usual feeling of where they'd fallen to taken over him. He was the middle child, the least intelligent out of the bunch. Without something to distract his mind but the smokes which he was rapidly inhaling, though it was doing nothing to stop the shaking. His head bowed, features twisting into what could have been an angry expression if he'd really had the heart to be mad. "Fuck."**

**Mail Jeevas.**

**The name spelt out in the buts that he'd just recently put out. He had enough to at least keep him sane for a few more days.. But after that, he was starting to doubt. A still burning one resting on his thigh, only brushed away when it had burned through his pants and touched his skin. He hadn't slept well since the ordeal had started, he didn't sleep that night and he was sure he wouldn't be able to sleep until those monsters outside had died off or at least stopped looking like people he knew, dammit!**

**His head turned to the side, momentarily regarding his friend from his position on the floor, before he took the still burning but and smooshed it into the ground, starting the chain all over again. He wasn't L, he wasn't Near who regarded this situation as a puzzle, albeit a dangerous one. He just needed rest, something to eat, and quiet possibly something to comfort him besides the cigarettes which were causing him to cough, not from something wrong, but because he did not give himself much of a break.**

**A final hacking cough, a moment of clarity which caused him to shove the little white cancer sticks aside and burying his face in a hand, stabbing the final one out with a sigh and staying as still as he could. He'd considered crawling up with the other, more like a frightened little boy who had seen the boogie man in his closet. Too worried to close his eyes unless he had somebody with him. **

**Guarding each other's back, or something like that. It wasn't so much the dreams..**

**Mail Jeevas was worried about never waking up again.**

His finger's dance across the worn wooden boards did nothing to ease the scrambled condition of his mind. He wasn't bored, he wasn't depressed, he wasn't all that distressed - in actuality, it seemed to be a mix of all of those things. Thrown in some anger, frustration, and sadness and Mello's mind created the perfect coctail of confusion. Of all things that had happened to him in the short span of his life, this particular month and all that came with it proved to be the most mentally exhausting experience to date. No fucking duh, it was practically the end of the world that he was facing. Only freaks like Near were able to combat what was happening with a stone cold face and an attitude to match. Hell, he was sure that he had seen L close to tears once or twice - only after the youngest three of the group were supposed to be sleeping (and it was his time to be on gaurd).

Being unable to do anything and uncertain of what he could possibly do to set himself right only made it worse. As perhaps the last people on earth that were, in fact, human, he was broken record, stuck on the idea that they would be trapped where they were until... Their own end. Whatever or wherever that may be. With travel almost impossible and there not being much of anywhere to go in the first place, the location proved itself to almost be apparent. Then again, as he very well knew, things can change in an instant. No gaurantee existed that they would be able to remain where they were for long.

He only hoped, deep down, that such an end wouldn't come any time soon.

Just by the actions and words of the only other in the room, it was apparent that this state of mind was shared with possibly everyone.

After a loud, frustrated sigh, Mello's arm dropped like a dead weight to his side. A moment's thought, silent except for the occasional protest of the bed's wooden frame. It wasn't very long, however, before a loud squeak dominated over them all, a resulting noise from the blond having rolled onto his stomach to peer over the side. His main focus: The younger man sitting on the floor, seemingly on a mission to smoke himself to death.

"You should try sleep again, you know," he broke through the verbal silence, trying his best to put somewhat of a kind tone into his words; A rarity for someone like himself. "I'll be here, you don't have to worry." Maybe if Mat joined him in the bed, he would finally be ble to drift to sleep. Otherwise... Back to slowly driving himself insane, this time tracing the pattern of the quilted bedspread.

**The younger man seemed to think about this a moment, moving to stand and dusting off the ash on his pants, letting his hand fall away from his face. Yes, he was tired... But he couldn't help it, fear was eating away at what control he had left. He'd get himself back in control sooner or later, but now... It just seemed that it had dawned on him, the horrors which they'd faced had all been off of his mind up until now, but now they had stopped and had time to rest... It was really starting to get to him. There were no tears, just curses and frustration and that suffocating feeling that you were being watched.**

**Exhaustion clear in those once vibrant navy eyes, though there was that stubborn streak that rarely showed up in the boy's personality... At least when concerned with Mello. It was certainly clear that he was about collapse, but ready to keep going on until he did. **

**It was terrible for his health, but at the moment, that mattered little.**

**The actions of the other, however, convinced him that maybe he wasn't the only one in desperate need of... Something. Comfort wasn't the word because there was none of it to be found in the world anymore. A weary sigh escaping his lips as he climbed atop the squeaky mattress next to his friend, stifling a cough with one hand while grabbing the other's to prevent any more of that tracing. **

**How they survived was still beyond Mat. Any chances of living past this atrocity were slim to nil, and what way you were going to die was impossible to tell what way. Starvation, dehydration.. Being mauled by the monsters who had once been human. None seemed overly pleasant, and all were completely plausible options. This was no safe haven, and the beds were only slightly better then the ground, the walls providing enough of a barrier to keep them out until they realized that there was a door... He was sorry. Oh so sorry for playing those old horror games and laughing at the stupid characters who ran away, thinking that they were safe.. Then were brutally murdered by whatever supernatural force they were cowering from.**

**"...Do you think any part of the world survived this?"**

**If there was such a place, then perhaps that would be their next course of action. Securing a method of transportation to flee the country and save themselves from any further harm. And while he doubted it, it was a nice thought that might keep his sanity in check a while longer. It was only a matter of time before they all snapped, and when that happened... His only wish was that they were out there with those monsters and not in here where they could kill the rest of them.**

Imagining a small part of the world where life continued on as if nothing had happened and everything was as fine as it had been the day before was a fantastical thing. Given the times and the state of the part of the world he inhabited, the elaborate thought inside his head could be compared to bedtime stories about unicorns and wizards and lands that somehow made the middle ages glamorous. How could such a thing possibly be true? Perhaps it was stupid of him to be insisting that such a thing wasn't.

Then again, he had - no, they all had witnessed for himself what it took to spread whatever it was that caused humans they once knew to turn into cannibalistic monsters. One bite, one scratch and, slowly, everything spiraled down into hell. A person, after having died and returned as something completely different, could easily jump off the bed or ground and infect all those around them with their almost unstoppable movements.

In reality, it only took one or two people to change the fate of an entire island, state, country... World.

Oh, but how the idea of people living in safety, without the fear that they would be the next meal of their significant other, child, sibling, friend... Seemed like a wonderful thing. Mello only wished it were real with every part of his mind that still had the capability to dream like a young child. He squeezed the hand in his own, quickly following suit after closing his eyes.

"I only hope so." If such a place existed, and if there was a possibility to get there... The thought of having to go outside again, the mere thought, struck that original feeling of terror in him; The same one that turned his insides stone cold as he witnessed the first of many deaths and re-animations. As ridiculously childish and selfish as it was, he only wished they could remain where they were for the rest of their lives. They would be the small family, living out their dreams in the countryside.

Ugh. Stupid. So, so stupid.

Lifting his head up from resting on his opposite hand, he opened his eyes and settled them on the younger man not too far from him. Was that a glint of fear, shining amongst confusion and a dulled sadness? "I don't know what to think about anything any more." Mello's whole life had come crashing down at his feet. His mind was a wreck. How was he supposed to make things make sense any longer? Right. He couldn't.

**Clearly they were on the same page, as much as Mat had feared.**

**He wasn't spineless, he knew his place and he knew what he could and couldn't do. He was just aware that if all of them, all of them save for Near lost hope, then they were doomed. He hadn't gone out to see how L was doing, that little part of him that cared about the man seemed to be fading. Everything was slipping, all he could really care about now was the fact that Mello was alive, he was alive... For how long was the question.**

**Optimism had never been something he was good at, so it was no surprise that he didn't voice his opinion on the matter. He was sure that death was waiting for them in the coming weeks. A slight shiver running across his thin frame, a frown twisting his lips and what could possibly considered a distressed expression flickering across his features as his eyes fell half-closed again**

**Maybe it would have been easier if they'd just been struck down. That way the death would have been quick, and when they reanimated, they wouldn't have the sense to realize what was going on around them.**

**"We..." He stopped for a moment, shivering slightly before he crawled under the covers, still keeping the contact between him and the other boy. "...We'll get through this." His voice hollow, without the enthusiasm which he would have probably shown by this point. He couldn't sleep, not with the fear that the other two in the house had done something stupid and become like the rest of the mindless creatures snarling and clawing at anything that still had a heartbeat.**

**Kira... It was all his fault. Some part of him hoped that the bastard had lived. None of those creatures would get Kira, oh no. He'd be hiding somewhere formulating a plan... And he was sure that if the group ever met him, then the new 'god' would have a brutal death, then left somewhere for them to find... It was thoughts like that which made him stop and wonder if they were no better then the monsters out there. Once food ran out, wouldn't they turn on each other?**

**His grip slackened slightly on the other's hand, eyes falling completely shut as he struggled to fall into that wonderful dream land that had to be better then this. And maybe had they both been in better condition, a chance like this would have been used to get back at Near for some stupid that... But now wasn't the time, and he doubted it would be again... And after a moment of hesitation, he reached over to pull the other boy closer, the slight tremors running up and down his body seeming to still at the contact. "...We're just going to have to be a bit braver."**

**Stealing from corner stores and laughing at pixelated monsters... Perhaps allowed him to think about this situation as a game. Though there were no extra lives, no restarts.. And certainly no power ups. If needed, food would not be too hard to come by if they were into the town, decently armed.**

Hell, of course they would get through this test that had been thrown before them. The life he had known ripped away from him or not, he was still partly himself. And the old Mello? Fuck that, he wouldn't let anything come between him and the goal. This time, the goal was to live, no matter what it took, no matter how much he lost along the way. All right, so he couldn't imagine that end without the younger man that happened to be lying next to him. Still, once the terror wore off and he was able to get down to 'business', he absolutely knew that he would make it through this.

It was only how long that left him puzzled, not to forget his lack of idea of what 'the end' was supposed to be. Whether he would want to admit it or not, that end seemed to be Hell. More and more...

He certainly wasn't showing the world that bit of his older self any longer. The thought almost made him sick. Losing himself along with the spark that his life had held once upon a time. Once upon a time, he had some sort of plausible path lying ahead of him, when it came to life. Now? Nothing. That path had been destroyed by the snap of a finger, the culprit obvious to every one of them stuck in that house.

Following the example of Mat, he pulled the covers on his side back enough to hide under them, moments before he reached out to pull him closer. No protest came from him; He allowed it, going as far as to put his own arm around the other's skinny body. Having been in such close quarters with the youngest and oldest of their group for so long, physical contact between the two of them had become awfully rare. Simply feeling the warmth of his body against his own felt like Heaven. The world outside was so cold, so cold..

Leaning in, he rested his forehead on the other's shoulder. "Do you think that'll be a problem for me?" Bravery. A trait that he had no problem with two months ago. Now it seemed his job to keep the act going strong, all to put some sort of comfort into the other's minds (as well as his own).

He was Mello. He was the one that used to get in a fight every other week. He jumped out of a second story window because someone dared him to. He ran through the halls at age thirteen without any clothes on because, yeah, someone dared him to. Bravery. Yeah, he could do it.

**"No, I suppose not." But considering that his fear out the outside world had intensified since this incident, and that the other two men in the house also didn't like to leave too often... It could be a problem. Mat had been the poor, light fearing boy who'd preferred to hide in a dark corner of the library with a computer or a gameboy in front of him rather then run outside and play sports. The type of kid who'd walk outside and be damn near blinded by the sunlight, or the type of kid who wasn't built for any sort of physical activity. He was skinny, and at the time he'd been underweight because he'd get so caught up in whatever he was working on that food just wasn't important. His eyesight had been poor, ruined by the computer monitors and overly sensitive to the light. It wasn't much of a surprise that he'd often be caught skipping the P.E. classes for such a reason.**

**It wasn't Mello who really needed the bravery. It seemed to be everybody else who's own personal fears would somehow get in the way of survival, like they did in the games. Whether it be a child noticing a doll on the ground and walking over to pick it up, or someone tripping and getting hacked to death.**

**Escaping... The fact that they had all been spared, the pride and joy of the orphanage and his three potential successors, had been one thing that bothered him immensely. The fact that there were hardly any other survivors who'd managed to stay sane long enough, without bursting into hysterics when they realized who was there trying to help them, begging for Kira to arrive and smite the unholy creatures from beyond the grave.**

**Turns out that shouting really just attracted the beasts.**

**"...Why does it always seem that we're the ones in trouble, even when we didn't do anything?" A slow question, but one he felt like he had to ask. When the orphanage was filled with living, breathing children, it seemed that the first people to be blamed were either himself or the blond beside him.**

**Though, there were certain times when it had been him and him alone. Downloading porno into the school's educational video section? Check. Altering the teacher's lesson plans? Check. Shoplifting from a convenience store? Check.. Though, it had only been a few times.**

**The only upside to being caught was the shades of purple, red, or blue that the caretaker's face turned. The time he had been caught... Not so red handed for the porno stunt was something to remember, though he'd certainly been embarrassed as he was dragged to the office. The worst part, however, had been when the student body had discovered that he'd been hiding the lovely stash from them. **

Absolutely no time was wasted; He pulled his arm from around the younger man and, putting on the best angry face he could, poked him hard in the stomach. "Come on, now. Of course, it counts!" The hand was raised, index finger still extended to poke the other on the nose a few times. "Without me, I'm sure that you wouldn't be half the person that you are now." As in he would probably have been one of the good children who did everything that they told them and was generally the storybook representation of, well, a child.

...Also known as the ones who most definitely died first.

"You have me and that's all that matters," his finger was resting on the other's nose, unmoving for now. It amused him, for some strange reason which probably was more of an annoyance for Mat than anything. And, well, perhaps that wasn't all that mattered. The fact that L had made it through with them was a comforting thing. He was was, after all, more of a father figure than the father he had never really known had been. To have him around and very much alive put him at ease a tiny bit, while the rest of his comfort was invested in the younger man lying next to him. Near... Eh. He didn't matter. Unless some miracle happened and they became friends, he was merely an extra person in their party; Another person that could help fight off the monsters that inhabited the world.

Finally, he took the hand away, moving it instead to rest on Mat's cheek. "So, what do you want to do? Attempt to sleep, go bother everyone, something... else...?" Of course, the look he gave them to pair with the last statement was the most innocent that Mello could conjure up, being that he wasn't usually the type to go about things in a heavenly manner.

Of course. His mind was thinking of more productive things, not stuck in the gutter. What on earth are you thinking?

Whatever. That small laugh that followed a few seconds later might have been the first the world had heard in a long while. As if he could hold it in any longer. Mat was the only one who could bring the best sort of everything out of him.

**An eyebrow quirked. A slight smirk now tugging the corner of the thin man's lips, though the idea was clearly in his mind about what 'else' they could do, he merely waved it off. This not exactly being the time, and most definitely not the place. Hell, this bed would alert anyone to any... Adult activities that they engaged in. Sleep was also out of the question, though now it was more along the lines of not wanting to let these moments slip by then an inability to do so. Tilting his head back, resisting the urge to lick the other boy's hand to get him to move it, he let out a sigh.**

**"Well... We might as well go see what L's doing," he said with a slight shrug, groaning at the sounds of protest the bed made as he moved to sit up. Near wouldn't be too far away from their current leader, probably doing a puzzle or playing with toys that he was too old for. **

**Truth be told, he didn't mind the boy that much. Sure, he was a little more bastard then most people were accustomed to, but not that bad. But he had Mello, and that was more then enough.**

**"And I'm sure we should probably get something to eat.." It would be better, yes. His own stomach wasn't growling, it had passed that stage a while ago. The smokes didn't do much other then fill his lungs with those toxic chemicals that resided in them, but at least they stopped the craving and kept any major starvation at bay. It did serve to make him rather sick, though. Going without a decent meal for days and relying on literal cancer sticks to keep himself going. "I think I have some chocolate in my bag."**

**Swinging his legs off of the bed and pushing himself off and up, he looked back at the other, covering his mouth with a hand and fighting back a yawn. Clearly more at peace than he had been, the shaking had subsided, though he was still looking a bit nervous. That could hardly avoided, though. Considering that in the growing dark, there was no telling what was lurking about in the shadows. Stifling another yawn, he bent down to pick up his pack of cigarettes and took another one out, lighting it up and sticking it between his lips. "Maybe we can work on... 'Something else' if we can't get to sleep later."**

**Damn. Maybe he shouldn't have felt disappointment when it came to being turned down for that 'something else.' Maybe he shouldn't have said anything in the first place. Going a step too far? That was the sort of person that Mello had always been, no matter what the situation he was currently stuck in. Say he did it for the comedic effect, something to temporarily (and again) lift the weight from either of their shoulders. It had caused him to laugh, at least, and brought a smirk out of Mat. Job well done? Surely.**

Still didn't mean that he didn't exactly truly want the sex. That would have been nice, right about then... Nevermind that. More serious things lay ahead of both of them, more like surviving through the night then worrying about not getting laid. Or not actually having had chocolate in two weeks. Get your priorities together, Mihael Keehl, before you end up dying at the hand of not-quite-human cannibals.

He rolled onto his back, putting on the perfect pout for the younger man sitting on the edge of the bed. "You always know how to make yourself drop a notch on the boring meter," the yawn transferred over to him, taking over (most appropriately), the last two words. Nevertheless, he forced himself to a sitting position, the hands that had been all over Mat before coming to rest on the torn knees of his pants.

"Chocolate. Now." Two weeks - that's a long time to go without the sweet substance that he so adored. He only hoped that the 'I think' wasn't a lie; If he had to go any longer without it tears were surely to come. Near had his toys. L had the sugar they found in the surprisingly full cupboard. Hell, Mat had his damn cigarettes. Wasn't he allowed to have something to calm his own nerves, something to keep him from stabbing his best friend in the temple for no real reason? Already he could feel his mouth watering, body begging for the candy. If it wasn't true... Where had he put his knife?

**He rolled his eyes, bending down to pull his bag out from under the bed, fumbling through the bag for a moment before finding a pocket that had a surprising amount of the older boy's addiction hidden away. That one had nearly cost him his life, running into a store with a gun that he'd managed to get out of one of the more.. dangerous orphans in the Wammy House. Firing at those creatures while using his other hand to load up his bag with the nessicary items to keep most of the group sane for the time being.**

**"Here," he said, dropping a few bars onto his friend's lap before shoving the bag under the bed again. An eyebrow quirking at the dissappointment, not that he wasn't use to it when the other didn't get his own way. Guesturing to the floor, an eyebrow lifting and one hand resting on his hip, "Either put the chocolate back and we go on the floor, or eat it and be grateful that I thought of you when I was out in the store."**

**He rubbed the side of his nose, exhaling slightly and looking down at the name still spelled out on the ground. Knocking them aside with his foot before he tilted his head, shrugging his shoulders as he leaned against the bed. "It's all up to you, one or the other.. Unless you want to play dirty and try to jump me." He wouldn't put it past him, but really, he hoped that the sugar would please the other boy and not result in any awkward moments. The bed squeaked, and he didn't really want to find out if the other had a knife hidden away under the pillow the hard way.**

**Eyebrows knitting together, before his usual bored expression crossed his face and the leaning against the bed seemed to become more of an attempt to hold himself up and not because he just didn't feel like standing up straight. Typical Mat behavior, though. **

**Zoning out without a video game was just something that happened for not much could hold his attention for long.**

As soon as the wonderful bars of goodness had been delivered into his lap, he picked them all up, hugging them like a child would the stuffed animal they thought they had lost long ago. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou." To think, there wasn't only one of them, there were many of them, all contained in his hands. How he could have just ripped them open and eat all of them right there. But...

The floor. Unfortunately, he was well aware that was probably the only place that they would be able to enjoy anything that wasn't exactly Sunday school material. From his recollection, the bed that L and Near shared (in the cleanest way possible) squeaked just as badly and, well, to do anything on the sitting room's couch would be awkward. Later, that is, having to explain any stains that suddenly appeared away. That damn white-haired kid had an eye for things like this; It seemed he had made it his job to embarrass Mello in whatever way he possibly could.

Again the smirk returned to his face, taking away from the child-like behavior of before. Mat's suggestion was a tempting one, it really was. If he had gone as long as he had without the wonder that is chocolate, he could go ten or more minutes. Maybe. The temptation contained within his hands was growing by the moments, his mouth still watering and praying that he consume some as soon as possible.

Damnit, he could spare a minute or so, just to... The chocolate dropped in his hands dropped to the quilted bedspread, abandoned momentarily while he got onto his knees and leaned over (paying no mention to the sounds that the bed made). Hands reached out, grabbing the fabric of the younger man's shirt, taking advantage of his leaning against the bed. He spared next to no time (spare a moment's gaze into the other's eyes) before he pressed his lips hard against Mat's own.

Not long, however. Not long at all. A second or so later he pulled away, again smirking, looking more like he had stolen hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise from a store and gotten away from it. "You really shouldn't say things like that, you know."

**Mat blinked once, twice, three times, before a slightly disappointed look replaced his usual bored one, eyebrows lifting ever so slightly as he reached over, intent on snatching a bar as punishment. Though, he changed his mind, deciding that he rather liked having fingers and no matter what logic he would use against the other boy, trying to take his chocolate away would result in pain.**

**"And you should at least show more enthusiasm, you know." His arms snaked around the other boy's neck, lips turned into an utterly devious little smirk. "And not look so pleased from just after a kiss." He leaned in, a bit closer, his feet moving accordingly so he didn't end up toppling over on the ground and ending up in a fair bit of pain. The smoke he'd jammed between his lips had fallen to the ground, and was crushed out before any fire could start or the floor could burn. **

**Pressing his lips against the other's in a way that was less sexual and more like a friendly sort of 'don't get too far ahead of yourself, this is just an experiment' that he was sure they'd shared years ago. Perhaps at one point he could recall the year, month, date, hell the hour and minutes and seconds. Not anymore, though.**

**He could clearly remember that it was before the time that he'd discovered what his mother had discovered before she'd gone to the mental institution after leaving her 'devil child' locked in a mail box, where his father had left him when he was four because it wasn't worth it anymore. Like most, his home was a broken one. The life lesson that he'd learned there was that men were easy, and could devote themselves to you if you found the right one. Women were finicky little things that didn't stay, flitted out of your life for something better.**

**He just didn't... Trust them. Bad experiences, because he'd been left at the Mail box when he was five. His arrival at the Whammy house was three weeks before his seventh birthday.**

**But letting one arm slip away from Mello and snatch up three of the five bars that Mello had dropped on the bed was seemingly enough punishment, and he broke away before the other could throw a punch or do something equally as violent.**

**Things were different at the Wammy House when Kira took control of the world. Mello and Near had seemed to change, or at least, their flaws had become more noticeable to the third successor. Status had suddenly become everything at the orphanage that they'd lived in. Money suddenly ran dry, and the allowances that they'd received had seemed to dry up.**

**Of course, some of the teens could pay him for certain acts that he and Mello would engage in for free, but it was only a few dollars and that was all anyone could really afford. But flashing back on the horrors which had happened would do nothing to aid in the current situation, so the auburn haired man slipped the chocolate into his back pocket, his hand moving to lazily trace patterns across the other boy's chest, lower and lower in a teasing manner before moving back up to play with the other's hair. "You'll get them back later, alright? But this time you have to earn them."**

**And with that, he seemed to deem this was done and stood up straight, his back protesting though a rather loud crack seemed to set it right. "...I'm going to find something to eat... No, not these, don't worry about that."**

Much like a child that hadn't gotten his way (and been scolded in the meantime), he pulled away the touching of his hair without a second thought. It had been enough that he had allowed him the teasing touches of before; Especially after the damn kid had gone as far as to steal some of his chocolate. Earning it back? Fuck that, he could easily tackle him and take it back. What would he do then, chase him? Cause enough noise that the attention of the entire countryside would be turned on the small house? Mat should have been smarter than that. Even if he proved that he wasn't, the older of the two would win this battle that had begun between the two of them. He had the motivation. He had exactly what he wanted in mind.

Only time would tell when the perfect moment would come. This is where he began to pray that it would not be in the general vicinity of the dear man who went by L, given that the cracks in his sanity were clearly visible to everyone. Taking into consideration the situation and all the solid facts surrounding it, L had the most reason to be teetering on the edge of I'm-going-to-kill-you-all. To think what would happen when he finally snapped or that last fragment of himself came crashing to the floor... It was almost terrifying in all its unpredictable glory.

It came as no wonder that Mello was somewhat reluctant to find himself in the company of the older man. Sure, he still looked up to him as if he was some sort of family member that had guided him when other's hadn't. Even in real, normal, every day life, everyone had those stressful times during which they needed their space. This happened to be one of those times for L, whom the blond was afraid to come within twenty feet of.

He easily rivaled the unpredictability that Mello himself was famous for. He was slightly ... scary in all his odd glory. He needed the time to himself, to gather himself together and realize that everything that was happening wasn't his fault.

...That meant the perfect time to get his best friend back was right then, when he was still so close. The only thing that came to mind, considering the room was far too small for tackling, was to grab up the remaining bars in one hand. The other balled into a fist, a good amount of his weight put into it while he leaned forward enough to aim a punch at the younger man's stomach.

Whether or not it landed to his content, he slid down the bed to jump off the end, backing his way toward the door. The smirk of before had returned full force. "Don't test me, Mat. Not now."

**...Alright that... That did not help the boy's situation of only having cigarettes for the past few days. Rubbing his sore stomach, hanging his head and letting out a sick sort of groan before sinking onto the floor, letting his head rest on the nice, cold floor. A sick little moan fighting it's way out of his throat as he waited for the feeling to subside... Nope, doesn't look like it really wanted to, "...Mello, when I can get up without the world spinning, I'm going to.." He trailed off, biting his lower lip to keep everything down. Poor thing, though. He'd really been starving himself over the past month.**

**"...I'm just going to lay here and relax for a moment, though," came the small, slow reply. His stomach growling in protest, but he made no attempt to move. Apparently deciding that the floor was safe, and getting up would just result in him falling flat on his face. Usually he wouldn't mind moving to go up and get something, but it just seemed like too much effort at the moment. Far too tired for this, and one look at him was easy enough to determine that he'd gone past skinny a long time ago. "...Can you get me some crackers or something?"**

**And just like that, sleep suddenly didn't seem so far off... It was a bad idea, considering that the floor was cold and any illnesses couldn't really be afforded. But the floor was better then the bed, because it was cooler and didn't squeak when he rolled over. -c-**

**He'd reached his limit, and probably would have much earlier if he'd agreed to Mello's suggestion of other things to do. Smoking himself to death hadn't been an intelligent idea, and neither had been trying to take chocolate from the other. Either way, he reached up and tugged a blanket from the bed over him, shivering from the contact of the cold floor against his skin.**

**That was his breaking point, though. Looking rather sick, or perhaps now that he'd acknowledged the fact that he wasn't going to last too much longer without sleep or food, the facial expressions he'd been holding back had split through, and his body was finally exacting it's revenge for mistreating it so badly. **

His slow getaway was brought to a complete standstill. Head tilted to the side, lips parted, he regarded his friend on the floor with an almost stilted sympathy. While he had deserved the punch for having been such a prick, he certainly hadn't counted on what would happen afterwards, what the blow to the younger man's midsection would cause. He almost felt badly about his actions, considering who exactly was the one currently in all the pain... His ability to sympathize with others had been somewhat lacking, as of late. The more he felt bad about other people, the more he forgot about himself.

When it came to times like these, he knew that it was best to pay attention to number one. No one else. Forget how much you love them, throw out the window how much the people you're with mean to you; If you want to live for long, it's better to not cling to others and drag yourself down.

...Damnit, even considering that was far too difficult for an emotional type like Mello. Safety came in numbers, right? That's all he had to tell himself. Again and again.

Breaking away from the door, he slowly crossed the room, that small remaining bit of sympathy pressing him onward. Scared that the younger man would take advantage of him being so close to exact his revenge or not, he pressed on, not stopping until he was close enough to reach down and grab what he supposed was one of Mat's arms. "C'mon, I'm not getting you any food until you get in the bed," his voice soft, but still holding the same commanding tone as usual. "I'll pick you up, if I have to," and if he could. By the looks of it? He wouldn't even have to use much, if any, effort.

...It was obvious: Tackling Mat probably would have killed him. Oops.

**He would have protested, really, saying that the floor was much more comfortable then the bed. But the idea of food managed to sway him with little effort, and he somehow managed to get to his feet. While he was serious about getting revenge on the other, for what he wasn't sure anymore, that would have to wait until he was actually more aware. Once he'd managed to get onto the bed, though, he discarded his jacket and moved to lay down, ignoring how the bed squeaked and protested against his movements. Yes, God, he loved that jacket. But it was too hot for such things now, and his intentions were as simple as getting something to eat then going to sleep for a few hours before it was time to face the night. **

**A sigh escaped his lips as he crawled under the covers, lifting a pillow up and letting his head rest under it, despite the fact that the darkness was rapidly becoming something to dread. "...Sorry." It's a half-hearted apology, but one none the less. So all he can really do now is relax and try to let the nasuea pass. "I'll pay you back later..."**

**How, he wasn't really sure. Whether it be actually paying him back for the fact that his best friend was always helping him, or the fact that he usually got him into these messes.**

**Time was just... Not working well for them all. Easing himself into a better position, the younger man planned to stay awake long enough to eat whatever it was that the older boy could provide. Then, if nothing came up like the undead swarming at their doors, sleep would follow.**

And that was that. He didn't tuck him in, much like his mother used to back in the days when he still had a family and wasn't the evil child everyone knew him to be. He didn't even say anything else to him. Once his friend had found his way safely under the covers and seemed to be all right lying upon the world's most uncomfortable matteress, he gave him one last once over and then turned, quietly heading for the door. Leaving him alone, obviously weak and unable to do much moving, was probably an idiotic idea. Whatever, Mello very well knew that he wouldn't linger around the kitchen long enough for anything to happen.

For one, Near was there.

And second, L was also there.

He just knew these things. Where L was, Near seemed to stick close by, out in the open or hiding in the shadows, seemingly waiting for the eldest of the group to finally lose his marbles. That's how it seemed to be, anyway. Little wanker. If the man killed him first, he wouldn't feel an ounce of sorrow for him; Damn kid had it coming from a mile away.

Keeping his eyes on the floorboards he walked upon, he moved through the small hallway of the house, into the growing darkness that was the tiny space set aside for the kitchen. "Just getting something for Mat to eat, mind me," not that he was interrupting anything - all seemed to be silent from the hallway, up until he actually walked in. Better to say it, anyway, to spare himself from being dragged into conversation or sidetracked from his mission. Couldn't leave Mat alone for long. Had to find food. That's it.

The already open pantry was his first destination, the closet-like space barely lit by the descending sun. Stopping before it, one hand came to rest on his hip, the other coming up to tap at his chin while he looked for something that would work.


End file.
